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Jacques Brunel and France turn to youth for visit of Scotland

Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack in the halfbacks with Parra and Lopez dropped

Tue, Feb 19, 2019, 11:50

Antoine Dupont will wear the number nine jersey for France against Scotland. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho

France head coach Jacques Brunel dropped scrumhalf Morgan Parra and outhalf Camille Lopez for Saturday’s Six Nations clash against Scotland but denied it had anything to do with their criticism of the staff following their Twickenham debacle.

Vice-captain Parra and Lopez pointed at the management’s share of responsibility in the 44-8 defeat against England on Februaty 10th when Les Bleus looked clueless on the field.

Brunel, however denied the duo has been sanctioned when he reshuffled his cards, making four changes to unveil a new-look, young team on Tuesday.

They have been replaced by the Toulouse pair of Antoine Dupont, 22, and the 19-year-old Romain Ntamack, who rarely plays at flyhalf with his club.

“I’m telling you it’s not the case (that they are sanctioned),” Brunel said. “Ask them, ask their team mates.”

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